A new generation of optoelectronic devices such as organic thin film transistors (OTFTs), organic light emitting transistors (OLETs), organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs), printable circuits, organic photovoltaic (OPV) devices, electrochemical capacitors, and sensors are built upon organic semiconductors as their active components. To enable high device efficiencies such as large charge carrier mobilities (μ) needed for transistor and circuit operations, or efficient exciton formation and splitting necessary for OLED and OPV operations, it is desirable that both p-type (hole-transporting) and n-type (electron-transporting) organic semiconductor materials are available. Furthermore, these organic semiconductor-based devices should exhibit satisfactory stability in ambient conditions and should be processable in a cost-effective manner.
Several p- and n-channel molecular semiconductors have achieved acceptable device performance and stability. For example, OTFTs based on acenes and oligothiophenes (p-channel) and perylenes (n-channel) exhibit carrier mobilities (μ)>0.5 cm2/Vs in ambient conditions. However, molecular semiconductors typically are less easily processable via printing methodologies than polymeric semiconductors due to solution viscosity requirements.
Accordingly, the art desires new molecular and polymeric semiconductors, particularly those having good stability, processing properties, and/or charge transport characteristics in ambient conditions.